Pile fabric and method of making the same



Jan. 6, [1931.

M. G. CUR-ris 1,788,084

PILE FABRIC'AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed oct. 17,l 1929 r11/ey.

Patented Jan. 6, l149-31 i PATENT,

OFFICE Y immuun e. cunmoir .rmsvnvann' man manic Ann mon on 'rmt t application mela october 1r, ma, Vserial ne.

i My invention'islan improved lpile fabric having theloops ofthe ile enmeshed or interlocked in the 'backing abrio or base and united thereto bya solidified pliable compo- "8 sition which firmly' attaches the pile Vand reenforces the base, `andmay render the base impervious to moisture, wi tho ut detracting from4 the appearance or feel of the nap,

' which-projects beyond the'surfaceof the coat- 10 ing composition, but` may, ifdesired, be cut considerably, shorter than is usually practicable. "Theadierent composition is preferably arubber or rubber-and-glue solution, casein, ,or other agglutinant', and may be i3 solidified by coagulatiornvulcanization, heat? ing or the like. Preferably 'the composition is substantially insoluble after' solidication,

' and may be so colored or embossed as to give desiredeii'ects independently of or in con- 9 junction with pile decoration resulting from printing, cutting,` singeing, acid treatment rthellke. In the preferred practice of my invention, -in accordance with my present improvement, the coating-step is performed between the weaving and .face dyeing of a double pile fabric which is woven quite loosely, with relatively few picks or weft threadsover which the pile warps are looped, so that the fabrics resulting from cutting apart such double fabric would ordinarily be unsuited for dyeing, finishing or use because of the shedding of the ile fibres from the backing andthe lack of rmness or body of the latter. 'These objections are overcome and desirable products produced, in accordance with' my'present invention, by impregnating the backing with a suitable adherent compositionbetween the weaving'and face dyeing of the fabric as above described. The coating formsl an insoluble size preventing the dislodgment of the pileand reenforcing the backing fabrics during dyeing and minimizes bleeding, from pre-dyed backingv yarn into vthe face dye. The pile may be split to separate the backing fabrics after the composition is'solidied, or the splitting` may be done before the impregnation takes place'. Instead of forming the pile from yarn or thread, it may be formed from filaments such as slightly twisted slivers .or contact with an agglutinant after the fabeooas, and in erm ammalano;

or rovings resulting in tufts which when cut expand or spring out to form a close pile surface.

My improvements are also adapted for the manufacture of pile fabrics by looping yarn or the like through a preformed cloth or v backing and uniting the bases of the pile thus formed to the backing by cementing them in position.y

The agglutinant composition may be applied to the base of the pile and to the backing in any suitable way which will leave the tips ofthe piles free, as, for instance, by impregnating the backing yby immersion in ric has been woven, or by coating the weft threads with a rapidly solidi ing viscous agglutinant as the leave the s uttles.

After thesolidi cation of the coating, the fabrics -roduced are dyed and finished and 7 it may e decorated by cutting, singeing or acid treatment in any usual way anda back'- ground of suitable shade, texture and form provided by using an agglutinant of suitable color and composition which may produce a backing havin characteristics of artificial leather or arti cial silk and be suitable for embossing.v

My improved product is particularly adapted for upholstery and` oor coverings and a leading object of my invention is the production of a pile fabric with the pile -irmly secured to a backingV having a mini` mum number of picks o r weft threads, which can be loosely, rapidly and economically woven and impregnated with the adherent composition to strengthen the backing and unite the pile base thereto while leaving the pile tips free and unaffected by backing dye. A further object of my invention is to produce a' Apile fabric from which the pile can be cut to form a very short nap without causing sheddmg.

A further objectof myinvention is to render practicable the utilization of rovings or vslightly twisted slivers for the formation of pile. Further advantages and characteristics of my invention will appear .from

the vfollowing description of illustrative embodiments of my invention and the ac comding fibres.

panying diagrammatic drawings in illustration thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1

illustrates diagrammatically a double plle.

fabric embodylng my invention andwhich is being split to form pile fabric such as illustrated in Fig. 2; Fig. 3 illustrates diagrammatically a fabric embodying my improvements and having uncut loops woven therein, as in terry cloth or some types of carpet; Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically a split pile fabric embodying my improvements and having the piles formed of rovings or-loosely twisted slivers; and Fi 5 illustratesv diagrammatically a pile fa ric embodying my improvements and having the pile formed by looping yarn through a preformed backing.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Fi s. 1 and 2, the double pile fabric 1 has its backings woven respectively from the warps 1, 2 and wefts 3 and from warps 4, 5 and wefts 6 and connected by pile warps 7 and 8 looped over the weft threads 3 and 6. Of course, the weaving may be done in any manner desired'to form a pattern or the like by floating any of the warps at vdesired intervals. of weft threads and increase the output, the weft threads may be beaten up quite loosely so that the Wefts are .relatively widely spaced and the pile warps are but loosely bound by the enga ement of the threads. The pile war s are, owever, firmly fixed to the backing fabrics by an adherent com osition applied to the weft threads during weaving or to the backing fabrics after weaving, and which permeates the backin s so that when the composition solidies 1t forms a flexible tenacious sheet or coating 9v securely embedding the looped pile threads, uniting them to the base* fabrics and permittin them Yto be cut apart by a cutter 10, han ledand dyed without shedsultant products have their pile extending above the backing and the surface of the coating or impregnating material to form a.

soft nap which may be cut very short and is securely held against dislodgment.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, a sin le pile fabric is formed by weaving pie loops -11 around the weft threads 12 of a loosely woven backing and are secured in place by a solidifiable adherent substance 13 securely attaching the bottoms of thepile loop to the backing fabric. The outer loops may be left uncut, or may .be cut by a pile wire,

or by a machine 1n a a soft nap.

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically a split pile fabric having the pile formed of tufted filaments 14 produced by'utilizing slightly twisted slivers or rovings as pile war s. The tufts are looped over the spaced wefts usual manner to form In order to decrease the number.

As Ashown 1n YFigp2, the re-` cured in place by a solidifia le adherent coating 16, which may be applied while Sulliciently fluid te impregnate the backing or may be applied in the form of an adherent sheet from which the'tips of the pile project to form a close' surface nap. l

As illustrated in Fig. 5, .yarn 17 is looped through a preformed woven or felted base 18, as in the manufacture of hooked rugs, and the base and loops are firmly united to prevent dislodgment by means of a suitable solidiiiable adherent material 19 which coats and impregnates the backing fabricand the bases of the loops while leaving `the upper portions of the loops soft and iree to'rorm a soft nap. ,Y

By my invention, there is obviated the necessity of providing in upholster plushes the weft icks normally re uired or form-` ing a locliing sup ort for t e pile loops or for floating pile t ireads over several wefts, and not only is the cost of backing yarn and of weaving greatly reduced but lietter coverage of pile is obtained with a minimum amount of expensive face yarn., This so greatly reduces the cost of production as to permit plushes to enter the field heretofore dominated by corduroy. The invention further eliminates the diiculties heretofore eX- perienced from the bleeding of dye into the final face-dying bath from the relatively large volume of backing threads heretofore required, andthe necessity for bichromate treatment of the backing yarns to prevent frompre-dyed yarn a pair of backings connected by pile warps, splitting the pile warps, said backings being .woven too loosely for pile-dyeing the split pile without shedding thereof, and before pile-dyeing applying to the backings a composition containing rubber and forming a normally insoluble fiexible composition adapted to minimize bleeding from pre-dyed yarn and secure the pile to the backings during pile-dyeing, and pile-dyeing the pile.

. 2. Inthemanufactureofpilefabric,thesteps which consist in weaving a pair of backings connected by pile warps, looped over wefts of said backings, splitting the pile warps, said backings being woven too loosely for dyeing and inishingor normal use of the split fabrics without shedding pile therefrom, coating the backings with a solution containing rubber before dyeing and finishing the fabrics, vulcanizing said coatings in situ to reenforce the backings and bind the pile warps securely my hand this thereto, and then 'dyeing and finishing the fabrics, j

3. In the manufacture of piece dyed pile fabric, the steps which consist injweaving from' re-dyed yarn a backing having pile I loops" ooped therein, lseid backing being too losely woven for-pile dyeing the plie without I shedding thereof, and before pilev dyeing aplyng to the backin a composition formmg a normally-ins() uble ,flexible adherent coa-ting ada,` ted-to minimize-bleeding from the pre-d e yarn and secure the pileto the backing uring pile dyeing, and then pile dyeing the pile'.- i

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set- 16th day-'of October, 1929. MELVILLE G'." CURTIS.. 

